Piano construction



Patented May 10, 1927.

CHARLES MEHLIN, 0F LEE, NEVJ JERSEY.

PIANO CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed Angus; u,

Th s inventhni relates in general 1' construction and has for its obj 1t the provision of a sounu hoard cons and arrangement o incr durability and improved tone qual tln the usual piano construction, prior to in inventioin the sound hoard oft the pi iscurved or crowned slightly and has he HlllIOl'COd by .reiu'liorciiv z' llliJS w ealtencll their ends to reduce the stiffness. My present inrentimi conic! plates. from one olf i':' aspects the production of a hill tone o ity without thus weakening; the ribs th me by providing: a much more sturdy constrwtion.

Another important object of the invention results from the discoverylhat the in terruption of: .any of the fibres of the directlv u'tl cts the pitch prooucod by vibration of the parts and from this aspect t invention contenuilates the provision of? i' the fibres of which will be iniintcrru throughout the length of the rib.

In the past it has been grcnvrally the custoni to secure the ln'idge by dowels pass ng}, through the ribs to provide secure bottom or hacltanclu rage, and I have found that bet ter musical results are obtained if separate anchorage is provided lor these :l'astening dowels.

The present invention comprises a num her of :l'eatures interrelated in the production of certain desirable results and whicl.., however, have separate value when in r alone and it is iy intention to claim 2 protect the invention in its several aspects.

Nun'ier us other objects and advantages of; the invention will be apparent as it is .vettor iniderstood from the following: descri rliion which, taken in connection with the ZEQCOHM panvingr drawings discloses a preferred enihodin'ient thereo' i.

Referring to the drawngg,

Figure 1 is a view of so much of a piano as is necessary to an understanding of the invention V i2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2--2 oi Fig. 1:

Fig. is a section taken across the soon! hoard adjacent one of the ribs; and

Fig. 4: is a section showing the sound hoard mounting and the bridge fastening,

For the purpose of illustrating my pres ent invention, I have shown on the drawing a portion of a grand piano, although it will 1923 Serial No, 855,421.

, invention can be as i upright; ence the outer character is: he rai l the cross block.

he sound board is ,]"L"" ,O(Il wit o ling from the lower right; hand corner 1. diugi ally to the upper left hand cor and it v lhe Hill the onl i l upon the inner run the piano and to the b The so d. b Ill Fil at 6 to nrovide 21 13131109; to the 1 SlCLG.

sion thereof. ourlier Patent possesses The sound board itvof ribs 18 r if I t the fibr-s and ezieending across the sound board. The sound board is crowned, as shown in 7 o and the ribs are of full thickness or height throughout their length. That is to say, they are not cut away at the ends as has been usual in t p In the present instance the are lniilt up or constructed of two parts, namely a lower rectangular member 19 and an upper member 21 accommodating the crown of the sound board. The line or plane of joint 22 is so arranged that it temiinates at its ends with-- in the ends of the sound hoard.

Thus (3 instructed the end of the ribs l!) are mortisol in throughout the full thiclw s thereof i o the rini j. thus providing a. struotu heretofore been usual '1. w t i v lei siateih time (l scorers l sound board and into oiidges. I overcome this olnection by arranging dowel receiving blocks 26 on behind the sound board to take the dowels 27 extending into the bridges 2i and 25.

The full depth ribs can, of course, be employed without providing the free edge 17 in the sound board and I have discovered that where this "free edge is provided the ribs may be stitier than where it is omitted since this tree edge adds greatly to the freedom of vibation of the sound board and compensates therefore for restriction placed upon sound board vibration by stifiening of rib construction.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendantadvantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement oi the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereot.

I claim:

1. In a piano, the combination of a curved sound board, and ribs stitiening the same, said ribs being of full thickness throughout their length and the height thereof being Varied in accordance with the contour of the sound board.

2. In a piano, the con'ibination of a crowned sound board, and ribs stiffening the same, said ribs being of uniform width and tarting from even thickness throughout their length substantially only by the amount of crowning of the sound board.

In a piano, the combination of a rim, a sound board secured at three sides to said rim, a rail supporting said sound board at the fourth side, and ribs reinforcing said sound board and engaged in said rail and said rim and of full thickness throughout their length.

4:. In a piano, the combination of a rim, :1

sound board secured at three sides to said u at cured to said sound board on opposite sides,

the fibres of said bracing ribs being uninter rupted and the bridge secured to said sound board intermediate said bracing ribs.

6. In a piano, the combination of a sound board, bracing ribs. and bridge members secured to said sound board on opposite sides. the fibres of said bracing ribs being uninterrupted and the bridge secured to said sound board intermediate said bracing ribs and dowel holding members arranged between the ribs.

7. In a piano, the combination of a sound board, a plurality of bracing ribs. and bridge members secured to said sound board, said bridge members being secured to the sound board intermediate the bracing ribs by dowel blocks arranged on the opposite side of the sound board, and dowel members passing through said blocks, said sound board and into said bridge.

CHARLES MEI-H1131 new 

